Archive for the ‘General’ Category

How to get Creative with Ambient Campaigns

Friday, July 16th, 2010

If I think of some of the most profound and memorable campaigns I have seen they stem from well executed simplistic ideas.

Experiential, outdoor, guerrilla, viral, online and mobile digital are the crafty, unconventional mix of the marketing underworld. More and more these disciplines are coalescing to form cutting-edge campaigns that penetrate saturated markets and reach further into personal consumer spheres.

A recent Microsoft Advertising report illustrated that the most successful campaigns are ones that “exploit the relative strengths” of the media they deploy and “create natural links to maximise engagement”. For me, this affirms my own observation of how marketers can be distracted from objectives and goals in favour of egotistical campaigns daunted by heavy production costs.

Choreographed Flash Mobs such as T Mobile Dance, New York No Underwear Subway, San Francisco H&M Kids and Piccadilly Circus Single Ladies definitely have become a much loved marketing trend that I think exemplify this simplicity. They have demonstrated they have the versatility required to transcend media platforms; on and off, below and above the line. Their power is instantaneous, creating a resonate connection with an audience and generating immediate buzz and viral activity.

However, you don’t need to orchestrate a mass choreographed dance assembly to tap into the benefits and the long-lasting effect which this type of marketing activity provides. This Ray Ban and this powerful Green Peace effort illustrate the effectiveness of simplicity.

I think these examples of marketing creativity enable a multi-dimensional campaign to flourish with a desirable viral effect.

What do you think?

What is Street Marketing? An Introduction

Monday, June 21st, 2010

What is street marketing?

Street marketing or (Ambient, Guerrilla or Street Advertising as it is sometimes known), incorporates non-traditional and alternative methods to generate a lasting market buzz for brands.

And, there is no shortage of street marketing option available. From the bold and brash light projections and street skins to the more understated clean graffiti or chalk stencils there is a vast array of opportunities available to gain brand exposure to people when they aren’t expecting to see it.

What Makes this Unique?

Well, the majority of advertising budgets are still spent on ‘traditional’ formats such as TV and Press. However, when people turn on the television they expect to be bombarded with advertisements, they are prepared for them on the radio and in magazines.

It is because of this assault that we have created somewhat of a filter to block a lot of forms of advertising out and advertisers have to really try hard to make their message noticed and to target the most valuable audiences.

However, if you can catch your audience’s eye and their imagination you are more likely to make a lasting impression and this is what makes ‘Ambient Media’ unique – the ability to enable the media itself to cut through. That coupled with the ‘word of mouth’ effect from a well executed campaign, encourages interaction with a brand and hence consumer ‘ownership’ of that brand leading to greater loyalty.

Street marketing, alongside an existing marketing mix, has the potential to help build customer base, brand awareness and establish a loyal following.

Election Light Projections

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

Following the impressive display of light projection used during the May U.K. election, it seems timely to mention the bespoke uses of light projection and the advantages of ambient advertising.

As seen above, the BBC’s coverage of election night included a real-time feed of poll results beamed onto the nation’s iconic Big Ben, complementing the historic event with an incredible display of new media. This is a prime example of how ambient platforms reach beyond the realms of conventional marketing. Such as Big Ben, light projections create a playground of priceless advertising space that can be personally tailored to meet specific marketing needs.

Be it for edgy guerrilla activity such as here, PR or a production/event launch such as here or here, in my opinion light projections craft the perfect contemporary display, mirroring current urban trends through mergence of art and technology. They create much more than a static advert, rather a memorable experience likely to generate viral buzz and a wealth of valuable media coverage.

To check out some of AmbientWW light projection campaigns and other ambient media products click here.

Ambient Media WW Launch

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

We’re all thankful for the long weekend following a few drinks and bbq at the office last friday
to celebrate the launch of the new Ambient Media WW site and the merger between
Look Media and Ambient Media UK.